Apple iPad Air 4 Review: Better Value Than The Pro?

It’s been said before that your worst enemy is sometimes yourself. And I think with the release of the iPad Air 4, Apple did exactly just that to themselves. With a tablet this good, it makes you wonder why else would you want to go for the iPad Pro variant. Aside from the overpowered M1 chipset and brighter display the Pro has, there’s not much difference between these two devices.

If you really want to get your hands on an Apple iPad but can’t afford the Pro variant, the Apple iPad Air 4 is the next best thing. It’s basically a more affordable and more lightweight version of the Apple iPad Pro lineup. It also improved the outdated specs and addressed the issues the previous iPad Air had.

So if you’re a casual user and your main tasks are relatively light and not that demanding, the iPad Air 4 might be the better fit for you. In case you’re still deciding which tablet to purchase between the iPad Air and the Pro, let this review help you come to a final decision.

If You’re A Student Studying From Home, See Where The Apple iPad Air 4 Ranks In Our List Of The Best Tablet For College Students In 2021.

Overview Of The Apple iPad Air 4

To cut to the chase, the iPad Air 4 is a really well-made tablet that has a much better value than its Pro counterpart. Sure, you’re getting a few downgrades in terms of refresh rate, chipset, and display. But for the casual user and people who are generally not power-hungry, this particular model should be plenty enough to satisfy you.

Personally, if you’re not a video editor who is looking for a more compact device to do your professional work or a digital artist who needs the extra RAM and storage for more layers in Procreate, the iPad Air 4 is more than good enough. It can easily do all the tasks and light work you need for your day-to-day activities.

The Air 4 VS. The Pro

As I have recently said, there are definitely some corners cut of course in order for this device to maintain a more budget-friendly and mid-range price point. However, I find that the Apple iPad Air 4 is still a pretty solid machine to use for almost any kind of task.

I would even dare say that this particular model is so good some of you might have a difficult time choosing between splurging for the iPad Pro or opting for the iPad Air 4 instead. It’s that good. Don’t get me wrong though, the Pro is one hell of a machine. It has tons of power that can easily beat a lot of mainstream computers, however, that much power can sometimes be wasted and pretty limited to Apple’s iPadOS.

Overall, the iPad Air 4 is an excellent device. Apart from the M1 chip, brighter display, and the 120 Hz refresh rate on the 2021 iPad Pro, you won’t really miss out on much unless you’re desperate for that kind of power to run your apps.

Inside The Air 4

In terms of hardware and CPU, the iPad Air 4 is powered by Apple’s A14 chipset. Yes, the very same chipset your iPhone 12 has.

It’s not as powerful as the M1 chip obviously, but the A14 chipset isn’t too bad either. Especially if you don’t need to do heavier tasks like video editing on your tablet. But the A14 chipset means that this particular model can still handle most tasks with ease just like your smartphone does.

Such tasks can range from streaming high-quality videos to running even the most demanding apps for your school, work, or other unrelated activities like gaming.

When it comes to storage, the Pro definitely takes the cake on this one. The Pro has plenty more storage options to choose from, ranging from 128 GB up to 2 TB of storage.

Meanwhile, the iPad Air 4 only lets you choose between either 64 GB or 256 GB of storage. Depending on what you’re planning to do with your tablet, that kind of storage is either good enough or a little underwhelming.

Features & Specifications

• Product Dimensions: ‎9.74 x 7 x 0.24 inches
• Manufacturer / Brand: Apple
• Item Weight: 1 lbs.
• Wireless Communication Technology: WiFi, Bluetooth
• Screen Size: ‎10.9‑inch
• Screen Resolution: ‎2360 x 1640
• Operating System: iPadOS
• CPU: A14 Bionic chip with Neural Engine
• RAM: ‎4 GB
• Storage: 64GB / 256GB
• Batteries Used: ‎1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. (included)
• Battery Life: Up to 10 hours depending on usage.
• Front Camera: 7MP TrueDepth front camera with Smart HDR.
• Rear Camera: 12MP Wide camera with Smart HDR and 4K video at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps.
• Colors: Green, Rose Gold, Silver, Sky Blue, Space Gray.
• Accessories: Magic keyboard, Apple Pencil (all bought separately).
• Extra Special Features: Liquid Retina display, 4K video recording, Touch ID.

Here’s a preview of the iPad Air 4 from Apple’s Youtube channel.

If You’re Interested In Checking Out Tablets From Other Brands, You Can Read Our Top Recommendations For The Best Tablet For College Students In 2021 Here.

What We Love About The iPad Air 4

Sleek & Premium Design

One of the best things about the iPad Air 4 is how well-designed the model is. Though, to be fair on Apple, almost all of their products are really nicely designed. But going back to the Air 4, this unit sports a really premium and high-end feel due to its thinner build.

Like the Pro, the Air 4 also has slimmer bezels and an all-screen body on the front along with squared-off edges and a rounded-corner display. Similar to what we saw on the 2018 iPad Pro. When it comes to its build quality, the iPad Air 4 is made up of an anodized aluminum frame that boasts multiple color options to choose from.

However, unlike this year’s iPad Pro, you might be a little disappointed to know that you will only get a touch ID for the Air 4. No face unlocking features here.

Camera Quality

I think by now we all know that Apple has really excellent camera quality in all of their devices. And the iPad Air 4 is no exception to that rule. To be specific, the iPad Air 4 has a 12 MP rear camera and a 7 MP front-facing camera. But there’s more.

The iPad Air 4 can now record videos at 4k instead of the 1080p we all have gotten used to with the previous iPad tablets. On top of that, this model also has better HDR and low-light capabilities. So if you’re frequently on Zoom meetings for your work or for your school, the iPad Air 4 will surely make you look good from any angle.

Excellent Performance & Battery Life

As you already know, the iPad Air 4 runs with the same chipset you will see on your iPhone 12, the A14 chipset. To put it simply, this particular will be fast, smooth, and will allow you to do any iPad activity you can think of without a hitch and more. At the same time, the iPad Air 4 will surely last you for up to 10 hours at the minimum. Depending on your usage of course.

If you’re planning to use this as your work tablet, the battery might drain a little faster than expected but it will still last you throughout the day. Lighter tasks like streaming might give you a solid 24 hours or more.

Our Least Favorite Things

The Price Increase

While Apple did an amazing job with addressing and solving the previous concerns and issues a lot of people had with the previous Ipad Air, the $100 price increase seems a little unjustified. Though I guess that depends on who you’re asking. Some might think it’s okay because significant improvements were made, but isn’t the sole purpose of the iPad Air is to be more affordable?

So if Apple keeps making price increases with each and every improvement they make on their tablets, the iPad Air might as well be up there with its counterpart, the iPad Pro.

Nevertheless, the iPad Air 4 is still able to maintain a fairly mid-range price that a lot of people who don’t want to spend their extra cash on the Pro will surely appreciate.

Limited Storage

If there was one thing I want to improve with the Air 4, it will be its really underwhelming storage capacity. Sure, the 256 GB is a viable option, but the base model with the 64 GB is so disappointing in this day and age. Especially when you’re paying for something around $500, you expect your tablet to not run out of storage so easily.

Hopefully, future iPad Air models will improve upon this concern.

In A Nutshell

Now that we have covered the things we liked and disliked about the Apple iPad Air 4, here’s a narrowed-down list of the good and the bad with this particular tablet.

The Final Verdict

All in all, the iPad Air 4 is a good middle-ground for anyone who has limited funds and doesn’t need a lot of power but still wants to benefit from the robust app library Apple has for their tablets. It’s doesn’t bring anything revolutionary to the oversaturated market of tablets, but it does a really good job of what it’s supposed to do: being a better-valued tablet than the Pro for anyone who doesn’t want to splurge or isn’t as power-hungry.

Do you already own the Apple iPad Air 4? Or are you still deciding whether to purchase it? Let me know in the comments section below if you have any insights, experiences, or suggestions to share. I would love to hear all your thoughts!

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